Teacher Support Materials to Accompany
Stories to Support the Pasifika Learning Languages Series
Resource: Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
Introduction
These teacher support materials accompany the six storybooks developed especially to support the
Learning Languages Series resource Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa. Each story gives
students opportunities to extend their language and cultural knowledge and to practise reading the
target language of specific units in Mua Ō!
These teacher support materials suggest ways in which teachers can use the six storybooks to foster
gagana Sāmoa learning at levels 1 and 2, particularly in the context of the Mua Ō! programme.
Teachers can use the teaching as inquiry cycle within this programme. You can find this cycle in the
effective pedagogy section on page 35 of The New Zealand Curriculum or at:
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Effectivepedagogy
Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
Mua Ō! is a resource in the Learning Languages Series. It provides a language-teaching programme
that can be used by teachers, including teachers who do not speak gagana Sāmoa or know how to
teach languages. Mua Ō! includes:
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twenty units, of three lessons each
a range of language suitable for years 7–10 at levels 1 and 2 of the curriculum
video and audio support to engage learners and demonstrate how fluent speakers use the
language
lesson plans that could be linked to opportunities for learners to enjoy reading gagana Sāmoa
texts.
You can link to Mua Ō! at http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa
Engaging students with texts
The teacher’s role is to mediate the interactions between the student and the learning materials and
enable the student to meet their learning intention.
Please note that the glossary page of each storybook contains an ‘e’ after the word Matā’upu but these
Teacher Support Materials do not. Both are correct.
Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
Teacher Support Material for Stories to Support Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
1
Tālofa, ‘O ā Mai ‘Oe?
na tūsia e Fatulatetele T. Tolo
This story supports Matā‘upu 2 (Tālofa lava/Formal greetings).
Text Features
The language features of this story include:
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the comic-book format
a visual story (the dog following Alexander to school, though the boy is unaware of it, and his
mother trying to find the dog)
formal and informal greetings, for example, Tālofa, Alexander [formal greeting], Tālofa lava, lau
susuga Mrs Tanielu [formal greeting from a young person to an adult], Mālō, Alex [everyday
greeting], Mālō, suga [informal greeting from a peer to a female], Mālō, sole [informal greeting
from a peer to a male]
the repeated question, ‘O ā mai ‘oe?, ‘O ā mai ‘oulua?, ‘O ā mai ‘outou?
personal pronouns, for example, ‘oe [one person], ‘oulua [two people], ‘outou [three or more
people]
possessive pronouns, for example, o‘u, lau, lo‘u, la‘u
the new colloquialism Seki ā …/the best, that’s cool, which is commonly used by young people and
increasingly by adults too.
The cultural features of this story include:
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the need to use respectful language when speaking to an older person.
Supports and Challenges
Students who have completed Matā‘upu 1 and Matā‘upu 2 of Mua Ō! may find it easy to:
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identify the different types of greetings that are used between different people
identify the question ‘O ā mai ‘oe? and the personal pronouns that are used with it.
These students may find it challenging to:
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identify all of the different possessive pronouns that are used
understand some new vocabulary, phrases, and sentences (these are in the book’s glossary or the
glossary of Mua Ō!).
Planning: Teaching as Inquiry
Consider your students’ interests and their ability to read in gagana Sāmoa at this level and choose
activities that provide appropriate content and support. Assess and reflect on the effectiveness of your
teaching and the students’ learning, then plan next steps.
Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
Teacher Support Material for Stories to Support Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
2
Curriculum Links and Links to Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
The New Zealand Curriculum: Learning Languages
Students can understand and use familiar expressions and everyday vocabulary.
(levels 1 and 2)
Students will recognise that the target language is organised in particular ways.
(levels 1 and 2)
Ta‘iala mo le Gagana Sāmoa: The Gagana Sāmoa Guidelines
Students will:
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give and respond to greetings, farewells … (level 1)
recognise and express fa‘aaloalo in a variety of contexts (level 1)
make connections with known culture(s). (level 1)
Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
Matā‘upu 2
Students will be able to use formal greetings appropriately.
A Possible Teaching Goal
Students will be able to distinguish between everyday, formal, and informal greetings and between
singular and plural greetings and use them appropriately.
Learning Activities
Before Reading
Prior knowledge
Revise the vocabulary and structures for Matā‘upu 1 and Matā‘upu 2, in particular, everyday and
formal and informal greetings.
Revising greetings
As the students come into the class, greet them individually, using Tālofa and the name of each person.
Ask the students how they are, using singular and plural pronouns in your question. For example, say
“‘O ā mai ‘oe?” and indicate that you are speaking to one person only (by using a gesture or by adding
their name). Then say “‘O ā mai ‘oulua?” and indicate that you are addressing two people, and then, “‘O
ā mai ‘outou?” and indicate that you are addressing three or more people. Prompt the students to reply
with Manuia fa‘afetai or other forms that you have focused on. Encourage the students to greet one
another and ask how they are, using the appropriate forms.
Either as you are addressing the students when they come in or as another activity, you could use a
ball as a prompt. Gently toss the ball to a student and greet them. Prompt them (using gesture) to greet
you and toss the ball back to you. Then toss them the ball again and ask “‘O ā mai ‘oe?”, again gesturing
to them to reply and toss the ball back. Repeat this with several students, then gesture to them to toss
the ball to one another and repeat the greetings and the question and answer. Throughout the activity,
allow only gagana Sāmoa in order to focus the students’ attention on listening to and remembering the
target language.
Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
Teacher Support Material for Stories to Support Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
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Pronunciation of new language
If possible, ask a native speaker of gagana Sāmoa to model the correct pronunciation of any unfamiliar
words for you and the students. This person could read the dialogue in the speech ballons to you and
the class as the first reading, or you could record them reading it and play the recording to the class.
Introducing the book
Look at the cover and the title page. Prompt the students to identify the relationships between the
characters and to predict the likely context.
Give small groups of students copies of each frame from the story, mixed up and with no text. Have the
groups work together to order the frames. Depending on the time available, you could have them add
text or just discuss what they think the characters are saying. When each group has finished, they
could go and look at the way other groups have ordered the story.
Learning intentions
Share the learning intentions and discuss them with your students. Some examples of possible
learning intentions for reading this story are given below.
After reading the text, I will be able to:
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read dialogue in gagana Sāmoa aloud with fluency
distinguish between everyday, informal, and formal greetings and be able to use them
appropriately
distinguish between some singular and plural (including dual) pronouns and be able to use them
appropriately.
Reading the Text
Read the dialogue in the speech bubbles on page 2 to the students and have them work in the same
groups to decide which of their pictures would have that dialogue. Then do the same for the other
pages. Give them time when you finish to discuss the order and make changes. Read the story a second
time and have the students check the order of their pictures.
Have the students work in their groups and each take a part (or more than one) in the story. As they go
through it together, using the pictures, have them add the gagana Sāmoa dialogue they think would fit
or that they heard in the two listenings. (Circulate and offer help but encourage them not to worry
about getting it absolutely right at this point – tell them to just have a go.)
Hand out copies of the book and tell them to read the story individually before discussing, in their
groups, what is the same as and different from the story they told.
Then, tell the students to close the books and to try to list as many character names as they can
remember. List them on the whiteboard and identify the relationships between the characters. Discuss
what greetings are or could be used between the various characters.
As a class, go through the book page by page, looking at the pictures to see what is happening and
identifying any unknown vocabulary in the speech bubbles. Discuss:
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what each page tells, both through the text and through the pictures, in particular noting the story
about the dog that is told in the visual text
the features of the comic-book format, for example, that a lot of the story is told in the pictures
Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
Teacher Support Material for Stories to Support Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
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the reasons behind the choice of greeting and the question asking how someone is (distinguishing
between formal, everyday, and informal greetings and between greetings addressed to one, two,
or several people).
Prompt the students to notice the gagana Sāmoa used to introduce people and to ask questions such as
‘O ai le igoa o lau uō?, even though these are not the language targets for this reading. (You could
revisit this text when you are working on Matā‘upu 5: ‘O ai? ‘O le ā? ‘O fea?/Who? What? Where?)
After Reading
Discuss with your students how they get to school, their neighbourhoods, and their experiences of
dogs. “How do you get to school?” “Do you know your neighbours?” “Who do you talk to on your way
to school?” “Has a dog (yours or someone else’s) ever followed you?” “Have you ever had to chase a
dog like Alexander’s mother did?”
Have the students work in groups of four or five to create a role play, based on one of their trips to
school, which uses a range of greetings, questions about how people are, and responses. Ask them to
include informal, everyday, and formal language, and questions to one, two, and more than two people.
Alternatively, they could create a short comic strip, using some of the language from the text and
features of the comic-book format. Perhaps the students could choose which activity they would like to
do.
Each group then performs their role play for the rest of the class or shares their comic strip with them.
The other students have to guess who the characters are (for example, a parent, a student, or a
teacher) and identify the relationships between them.
Reflecting on the Learning
Have the students refer to their learning intentions and reflect individually or discuss in pairs whether
they have fulfilled the intentions. Ask the students questions such as:
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Can you explain when informal, everyday, and formal greetings are used and give some examples?
What helped you understand the story?
How can you use the new language, for example, singular and plural pronouns, and remember it?
Is there some other language from the story that you want to learn and remember?
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What do you think are the next steps in your learning?
Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
Teacher Support Material for Stories to Support Mua Ō! An Introduction to Gagana Sāmoa
5
English Version of the Story
Hello, How Are You?
[page 2]
Frame 1 (Note that inset frames are not
included in this number sequence.)
[page 4]
Hello, Alexander.
How are you?
(speech bubble, Mrs Tanielu)
Hi, girl. [informal greeting from a peer to a
female]
How are you?
(Sarona and Miriama)
Hello,
Mrs Tanielu. [formal greeting from a young
person to an adult]
I am well, thank you. (Alexander)
Frame 7
OK. How
are you two?
(Sina)
Frame 2
Frame 8
How are
your parents?
(Mrs Tanielu)
Hi, boy. [informal greeting from a peer to a
male]
How are you?
(Alexander)
They are well,
thank you.
(Alexander)
Frame 3
Sina, come quickly,
your friend is here!
(Mrs Tanielu)
[page 3]
Frame 4
Hi, Alex [everyday greeting]. Come
to the kitchen.
(Sina)
Frame 5
Hello,
Mr Tanielu. [formal greeting from a young
person to an adult]
(Alexander)
Hello,
Alexander. Sina,
go pack your
schoolbag.
(Mr Tanielu)
I’ve finished.
OK, let’s go!
(Sina)
Frame 6
Bye, Mum.
Bye, Dad.
(Sina)
Good.
But how about you?
(Reuben)
Good also.
(Alexander)
[page 5]
Frame 9
Hello, children.
How are you? [to three or more]
(Mr Henderson)
Hello, Mr Henderson.
Well, thank you.
(Alexander, Sarona, and Miriama)
Hello, Mr Henderson.
Well, thank you.
(Sina, Reuben, David, and Sione)
Frame 10
Goodbye,
children. Have a good
day!
(Mr Henderson)
Goodbye,
Mr Henderson.
(Alexander, Sarona, Miriama, Sina, Reupena,
David, and Sione)
Frame 11
[Image: Mr Henderson sees the dog following
Alexander, but too late to stop him.]
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Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
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6
Frame 18
[page 6]
Frame 12
Sina, this is my
cousin. Her name
is Sarita. Hi, Sarita.
This is my friend.
(Alexander)
Hi, Alex. What is your friend’s name?
(Sarita)
Hello, Sarita.
My name
is Sina.
(Sina)
No, I don’t like
rugby. I
like soccer.
(Alexander)
Hey [girl], Sina. What are you
doing tonight?
(Alexander)
I am playing
rugby with
Reuben.
(Sina)
Sina, you’re the best!
(Reuben – laughing)
Frame 13
What is your son’s name?
(Sina)
His name
is Randall.
(Sarita)
Hello,
Randall.
(Sina)
Frame 14
How old is he?
(Sina)
He is four years old.
(Sarita)
Frame 15
Goodbye,
Sarita. Have a good day.
Goodbye, Randall!
(Sina)
Frame 16
Hi,
Leader.
(Randall)
[page 7]
Frame 17
[page 8]
Frame 19
Hello,
Alexander and Sina.
How are you two?
(Mr Tomasi)
Hello,
Mr Tomasi.
Well, thank you.
(Sina)
Hello,
teacher. Very well, thank you.
(Alexander)
Frame 20
Hello,
children. Sit
down, please.
(Mr Tomasi to the whole class)
Let’s start
our day.
(Mr Tomasi)
Frame 21
Hello, dog!
Sit down,
please!
(Mr Tomasi)
Hey [boy], Reuben. What are you
doing tonight?
(Alexander)
I am playing
rugby. Do you want
to play?
(Reuben)
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Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
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Accessed from http://pasifika.tki.org.nz/Pasifika-languages/Gagana-Samoa/Storybookscontent/Storybook-1
Copyright © New Zealand Ministry of Education 2010
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